Sociable

Wednesday, 26 November 2008

It's a simple entry this week. Are you ever sitting at home or work, bored or in a creative rut? Then check out these sites we found on the Internet. They are all fun, aesthetically pleasing and great ideas. Enjoy!

Jag-Jeans.com

This site is a great interactive site, allowing you to take your own photo shoot. Surprisingly addictive, well constructed, and great company promotion!

Monday, 17 November 2008

IP brings you another top 10! This week we have been searching YouTube to find the best of the best. YouTube has redefined a video era. They have set a standard of viewing, creating a whole generation of amateur animators, actors, comedians, and directors.So to pay homage to such an influential website we have selected a few of our favourites, the videos selected are all here to make you smile! So in no particular order...

This was always going to be in the top 10, with over 104 million views, and always within the top 3 all time favourites it's comedian Judson Laipply's Evolution of Dance.

This video is an infectiously happy video, and such a beautiful idea. With over 33 million views it's the Free Hugs Campaign.

Go around twice if you're happy is the title of the next video, and as the title suggests it is another happy video to follow on from the last. The video shows us the ability and need we have to comunicate. It is fun to communicate in anyway you can, there is a great pleasure in watching people react to the messages and communicating with the world, Its great to see people express themselves. Enjoy.

Our next entry at number 4 is a music video from OK Go. Now this entry although isn't amateur, has a great novice feel to it, which only enhances the video's aesthetic.

This has been on many a viral email, but still always makes me smile, the Sneezing Panda!

Animator vs. Animation is the title of the next YouTube video. For all you creative’s, or anyone who appreciates good animation, this is a must see!

The next video made us smile because of its fantastic animation. Nothing else needed to be said. MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU.

Last but not least is entitled the Urban Ninja, sit back in amazement!

Remember, if you have seen anymore inspirational, happy, or funny YouTube clips, please add them!

Tuesday, 11 November 2008

Today's entry is a slight diversion on our usual topics, but the subject was such an interesting one for me, I had to write about it.

Words - an essential part of the world’s communication. So why do we always seem to get them wrong?

Well, if you might not have guessed, today's entry is about words, or more specifically "OXFORD's list of top ten irritating phrases". A work colleague emailed me this article from telegraph.co.uk, and it just had to be shared. The list mostly comprises mistaken phrases such as the grammatically incorrect "shouldn't of" instead of "shouldn't have".

The researchers who compiled the list monitor the use of phrases in a database called the Oxford University Corpus, which comprises books, papers, magazines, broadcast, the Internet and other sources.

The database alerts them to new words and phrases and can tell them which expressions are disappearing. It also shows how words are being misused.

The phrases appear in a book called Damp Squid, named after the mistake of confusing a squid with a squib, a type of firework. As well as these expressions, the book's author Jeremy Butterfield says that many annoyingly over-used expressions actually began as office lingo, such as 24/7 and "synergy".

Other phrases to irritate people are "literally" and "ironically", when they are used out of context.

Mr Butterfield said: "We grow tired of anything that is repeated too often – an anecdote, a joke, a mannerism – and the same seems to happen with some language."

TOP 10 most irritating phrases:

1 - At the end of the day

2 - Fairly unique

3 - I personally

4 - At this moment in time

5 - With all due respect

6 - Absolutely

7 - It's a nightmare

8 - Shouldn't of

9 - 24/7

10 - It's not rocket science

I’m sure many of you are conjuring up many irritating days at the office! But what are your most irritating phrases? I personally have to say that “having said that” for me should be there!

Wednesday, 5 November 2008

After a recent branding exercise which involved extensive research into colour (in which the brand's main direction was taken) I came across some interesting information regarding colour and its importance and power within a brand and in general.Firstly some statistics summarised from the Branding Strategy Insider, which cited some very interesting facts regarding colour.

1. Colour increases brand recognition by up to 80%.

2. Colour can improve readership by 40%.

3. Ads in colour are read up to 42% more often than the same ads in black and white.

4. 73% of purchasing decisions are made in-store. Therefore, catching the shopper’s eye and conveying information through the effective use of colour is essential to boosting sales.

5. Tests indicate that a black-and-white image may sustain interest for less than two-thirds of a second, whereas a colour image may hold a person’s attention for two seconds or more. Since a product has just one-twentieth of a second to catch the customer’s attention on a shelf or display, the 1+ seconds added by colour could have a significant impact on awareness and sales.

It is important to remember that while perception of colour is somewhat subjective, there are some colour effects that have universal meaning. Colours in the red area of the colour spectrum are known as 'warm' colors and include red, orange, and yellow. These warm colours evoke emotions ranging from feelings of warmth and comfort to feelings of anger and hostility.

Colours on the blue side of the spectrum are known as 'cool' colours and include blue, purple, and green. These colours are often described as calm, but can also call to mind feelings of sadness or indifference.

I found a fantastic article from entrepreneur.com with an essential guide to colour submitted by John Williams. This is an extremely good quick guide about the meanings of colour and will give you a helpful breakdown of the colour spectrum.

Blue: Cool blue is perceived as trustworthy, dependable, fiscally responsible and secure. Strongly associated with the sky and sea, blue is serene and universally well liked. Blue is an especially popular colour with financial institutions, as its message of stability inspires trust.

Green: In general, green connotes health, freshness and serenity. However, green’s meaning varies with its many shades. Deeper greens are associated with wealth or prestige, while light greens are calming.

Yellow: In every society, yellow is associated with the sun. Thus, it communicates optimism, positivism, light and warmth. Certain shades seem to motivate and stimulate creative thought and energy. The eye sees bright yellows before any other colour, making them great for point-of-purchase displays.

Purple: Purple is a colour favoured by creative types. With its blend of passionate red and tranquil blue, it evokes mystery, sophistication, spirituality and royalty. Lavender evokes nostalgia and sentimentality.

Pink: Pink’s message varies by intensity. Hot pinks convey energy, youthfulness, fun and excitement and are recommended for less expensive or trendy products for women or girls. Dusty pinks appear sentimental. Lighter pinks are more romantic.

Orange: Cheerful orange evokes exuberance, fun and vitality. With the drama of red plus the cheer of yellow, orange is viewed as gregarious and often childlike. Research indicates its lighter shades appeal to an upscale market. Peach tones work well with health care, restaurants and beauty salons.

Brown: This earthy colour conveys simplicity, durability and stability. It can also elicit a negative response from consumers who relate to it as dirty. Certain shades of brown, like terracotta, can convey an upscale look. From a functional perspective, brown tends to hide dirt, making it a logical choice for some trucking and industrial companies.

Black: Black is serious, bold, powerful and classic. It creates drama and connotes sophistication. Black works well for expensive products, but can also make a product look heavy.

White: White connotes simplicity, cleanliness and purity. The human eye views white as a brilliant colour, so it immediately catches the eye in signage. White is often used with infant and health-related products.